Lady Eagles Bomb Away Against Borgia

The calendar had flipped past Labor Day and still the softball season remained idle.

A scheduling quirk pushed Sullivan’s season opener into the first week of September, nearly two weeks after the typical starting point.

A soggy field at St. Francis Borgia Regional High School on Tuesday stretched that delay into Wednesday, along with a venue change to Sullivan.

The Lady Eagles charged into Wednesday’s opener like they hadn’t missed a beat.

Behind five home runs — two from Addison Purvis and one each from Hannah Cox, Grace Glaser and Hanna Johanning — Sullivan leveled Borgia 17-1 in a reprise of last season’s Class 3 sectional.

If the concept of a statement game exists, the homer-happy Lady Eagles established that they aren’t read to concede their district title streak and they remain viable contenders for a state championship.

The bottom of the order pounced with four second inning runs off Borgia pitcher Abi Schmidt, punctuated by Glaser’s first-ever homer. 

Sullivan set up the inning with a leadoff walk by Kloey Blanton, a one-out single by Alyssa Sharp and a bunt hit by Payton Counts. Blanton scored on a passed ball, then Glaser connected on a high, arching shot that sailed over the left field fence for three more runs and a 4-0 lead.

An ebullient Glaser raised her hands high above her head as she was embraced by teammates at home plate.

That set the tone for an oncoming barrage.

Johanning led off the third with a double and was followed by Cox drilling a two-run shot to left to put Sullivan up 6-0. Sullivan loaded the bases, but failed to capitalize.

Purvis and Johanning went back-to-back to start the fourth, extending Sullivan’s lead to 8-0. 

Purvis deposited a ball to deep center to lead off the sixth and kickstart a nine-run inning.

Glaser pushed two runs across with a ground-rule double down the third base line, then two batters later Purvis would collect a two-run ground-rule double. 

Johanning banged a double off the fence to give Sullivan a 16-0 lead and Cox drove in her third run of the day with a single.

Borgia would get their only run in the bottom of the sixth, an unearned tally. 

Purvis allowed just one hit — a bunt single — walked one and struck out 13 across six frames.

She struck out seven straight at one point and took a no-hitter into the fourth.